February is Black History Month, and the Children's Department at the Main Library is celebrating with a display case featuring "Famous Firsts in Black History."Â How well do you know black history?Â See if you know the persons behind the following accomplishments:

First African American Major League Baseball Player

First African American Supreme Court Justice

First African American Nobel Peace Prize Winner

First African American to Sing at the Metropolitan Opera

African American Co-discoverer of the North Pole

First Black Licensed Aviator in the World

First African American Astronaut in Space

First African American Secretary of State

First African American Pulitzer Prize Winner

First African American President

To find the correct answers, click here.Â How many did you know?Â To learn more, stop byÂ our display in the Children's Department at the Main Library and then browse our biography section for more booksÂ about famous African Americans.

Are you a chess enthusiast?Â Are you looking for a worthy opponent to challenge your chess-playing skills?Â ThenÂ you're invitedÂ to come to our monthly Family Chess Nights at the library.Â Family Chess Nights take place the first Monday of every month through May from 6:30-8:00 p.m.Â We alternate library locations each month.Â Here's the schedule:

Monday, February 4, 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the Indian Creek Branch
Monday, March 3, 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the Main Library
Monday, April 7, 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the Indian Creek Branch
Monday, May 5, 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the Main Library

All playing levels are welcome.Â The whole family is invited.Â Boards and equipment will be provided.Â No registration required.

Are you a fan of the I Spy books by Walter Wick?Â Then you should check out the display in the Children's Department at the Main Library.Â In our glass display case Miss Diane has assembledÂ a three dimensional version of an I Spy puzzle.Â One of the rhyming clues reads:

I spy a Santa and four stacking dolls,
a glittery red heart and two wooden balls...

There are snowmen, a soup can, a tiara, a tea cup, a golf tee, a tiny book, necklaces, crayons, candy and more.Â Â Do you think you canÂ find all the items in the clues?Â Stop by the Main Library anytime during the month of January and test out your spying skills.

If you've watched the news on TV at all recently, you've probably been hearing a lot of talk about presidential primaries, caucuses and debates.Â Or maybe you've heard your parents discussing which candidates they support or would never support in a million years.
Well, here'sÂ your chanceÂ to vote for something.Â What is your all-time favorite book?Â Beginning on January 1 kids across the nation will be voting on their all-time favorite picture books and chapter books.Â On May 1 the topÂ eightÂ "candidates"Â in each categoryÂ will announced.Â On September 1 the first round of voting begins among the eight finalists.Â Beginning September 22 vote again from among the top four finalists.Â Finally, on October 13 the two most popular titles will face off for the final round of voting.Â Votes will be tallied after midnight onÂ Election Day, November 4, and the winners will be announced on November 5.Â To cast your vote, go to www.voteforbooks.com.Â You can also find a link to this website on our Good Books page.Â May the best book win!

Christmas Eve is almost here, and so what better time to read that famous poem by Clemente Clark Moore, "The Night Before Christmas."Â The library has many different books based on thisÂ poem which was first published in a newspaper in 1823.Â There is 'Twas the Night B'fore Christmas, an African-American version of the poem.Â There is GullahÂ Night Before Christmas, told in the Gullah dialect of South Carolina and Georgia.Â If you're in the mood for something a little scary, perhaps you should try The Night Before Christmas: A Goblin Tale.Â There is The Night Before Christmas: Told in Signed English and even a version by the creator of the I Spy books called Can You See What I See? The Night Before Christmas.Â The Grandma Moses Night Before Christmas illustrates the familiarÂ narrative with paintings by the famous folk artist.Â There are also manyÂ other traditional versions by various illustrators, including Tomie dePaola, Tasha Tudor, James Marshall, Mary Engelbreit, Lisbeth Zwerger, and others.
Why not create a new family tradition by gathering the family together on the "night before Christmas" and reading aloud this well-loved poem?Â As you can see, there are many versions toÂ choose from at the Olathe libraries.Â Happy holidays to all!

Have you met the newest "American Girl"?Â Her name is Julie Albright.Â She lives in San Francisco, California in the 1970's.Â Her parents' recent divorce means many changes for Julie, including moving away from her best friend, Ivy Ling, a Chinese-American girl.Â In the "Julie" books you'll learn about the women's movement, the U.S. bicentennial, presidential elections, divorce,Â environmentalists, and other issues from the turbulent 70's.
Fans of the Judy Moody books may be interested to know that all of the "Julie" books are written by Megan McDonald.Â So call the library to get on the waiting list for the books in this new seriesÂ or place your hold through our online catalog.

One summer day in 1944 a red-headed, curly-haired toddler mysteriously appears on the courthouse stepsÂ in Way Down Deep, Vest Virginia.Â Who is she?Â How did she get there?Â You'll have to read Way Down Deep by Ruth White to find out.Â Â It's one of the best books I've read recently.Â
Have you read any good books lately?Â Â Click on theÂ "Comments" link belowÂ andÂ tell us about the last good book you've read.

Have you ever wished you could see a list of all the Newbery or Caldecott award winning books?Â This is something we get asked for quite often at the library.Â Well, there is a nifty way to get this information in ourÂ library catalog.Â Here's what you do: